


Taken

by twdsunshine



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-18
Updated: 2019-06-20
Packaged: 2020-05-14 07:44:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19268818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twdsunshine/pseuds/twdsunshine
Summary: When Rick’s overprotective streak drives him to lose his temper with the girl he likes, he drives her out of the prison and into the clutches of the Governor.  Desperate to get her back, Rick will do anything it takes.  But will he finally get the chance to tell her how he really feels, or will he be too late?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This mini-series was commissioned by the very lovely @riickgrimes on Tumblr. I’ve enjoyed having the chance to write the prison era again (my fave, obvs!) and this fic was a lovely angsty piece of work to sink my teeth into. I really hope you like it!

Jess was laughing.  It felt good to laugh.  It seemed like it had been a long time since she’d felt relaxed enough to find humour in anything, too long, but now that she’d started, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to stop.  Her cheeks ached from smiling and her belly hurt as she doubled over, tears streaming from her eyes as she shook with mirth.  It hadn’t even really been that funny, just one of Maggie’s stories about her escapades in college, driven by booze and youthful enthusiasm, combined with Glenn’s merciless teasing, but the flashback to a time when things had been normal had tickled Jess, and she was still trying to stifle her giggles when she straightened up to get back to work, shaking her head as she plunged her knife through the fence into the skull of a reaching corpse.  It dropped, only to be replaced by another as the crowd surged forward, and she finally managed to swallow her amusement, sighing loudly.

‘God, you guys are ridiculous.’

'Hey, he’s obviously just led a very sheltered life,’ Maggie snarked, arching an eyebrow at her partner.  'You’re supposed to get a little wild in college, right?  It’s not my fault he spent all his time delivering pizzas.’

'Hey, without people like me your parties would have been pizzaless,’ Glenn pointed out, wiping the sweat from his brow as he paused to get his breath back, the physical exertion of keeping the fences standing finally getting to him.

'What if I told you I don’t even like pizza?’

'Then I know you’d be lying.  Everyone likes pizza.’

For a moment, Maggie stood her ground, mouth drawn in a thin line of determination, but then, with a snort of yet more laughter, she melted against him, wrapping an arm around his neck to reel him in for a kiss.  'Fine, you’re right.  I do like pizza, almost as much as I like foxy delivery guys.’

Jess smiled watching the exchange, feeling the warmth of their love for one another even from where she stood several feet away, but at the same time it tugged painfully at her heart.  What were the chances, she wondered, of her finding a love like that?  It had been hard enough before, but now, with the dead walking and death around every corner, it seemed increasingly impossible.  The prison had changed things, that was for sure.  It had given them time to breathe, a place to call home again, although it wasn’t without its limitations, driven home more and more the longer she spent fighting against the herd that threatened to tear down their fences.  Still, it was more than any of them had had in a long time.  For her though, it didn’t feel like enough.

She was still deep in thought when it happened, lost in her own melancholy and fuzzy daydreams of dark curls beneath her fingers and a pair of dusty cowboy boots lying askew on the floor beside her bunk.  One minute she was imagining how it might feel to be held, to be loved by the right man, and the next bony fingers had wrapped around her wrist.

She shrieked in horror as the walker dragged her forwards, towards the fence.  Skin was hanging in ragged swathes from its arm where it had forced it through far too small a hole in its desperation to reach her, and its face was pressed grotesquely against the wire, the diamond criss-cross cutting into its flesh as its teeth snapped ravenously.  Moving instinctively, she brought her blade up and jammed it through the creature’s wrist, but it was undeterred, and, as she struggled to free her weapon from its prison of bone, she heard the sickening snap of its jaw as it broke, allowing it to force its chin even closer in its quest for a meal.  Just one bite, one scrape of those yellowed incisors against her skin and it was all over.  She renewed her struggle.

The glint of metal flashed across Jess’ vision, and then she was knocked aside, hitting the ground hard, as Glenn put down the corpse that had held her in it clutches.  His eyes were wide as he turned to look down at her, blood spattered over his white t-shirt.  ‘You okay?’

She nodded wordlessly, taking his proffered hand and letting him haul her to her feet.  

‘Hey, look at me,’ he coaxed as her gaze flicked back to the corpses that had renewed their jostling for position, encouraged by her cries of fear.  ‘It’s okay, you’re safe.  It was close but you’re alright.’

Again, she nodded, only vaguely aware as Maggie stepped forward to wrap an arm around her shoulders.  Her heart was pounding in her ears, shock numbing her to everything but that steady beat, as the other woman squeezed her tightly.  ‘Look, why don’t you head on inside, huh?  Take a break?  We’ve got this covered out here.’

‘I-I can’t-’ Jess began to protest, but then Maggie fixed her with a knowing stare.  ‘Okay, alright, I’ll take a break.’

‘Good.’  She shoved her gently away, and Jess turned her back on the crowd of undead, picking her way shakily back across the grass.  She could feel the ache in her thigh from where she’d gone down, shoved out of the way in Glenn’s haste to save her, and her blood ran cold in her veins at the thought of what could have happened if he hadn’t.

It wasn’t like she hadn’t had close calls before.  Of course she had, just like every other person on the planet still alive, still surviving, she imagined.  But it had been a long while since she’d come that close to those ravenous jaws.  The fences had kept them out for the most part and, as long as they gathered regularly to thin the herd and ensure that the barriers stayed standing, life had been good, felt safe.  She cursed herself now for letting that feeling of security lead to complacency, and she balled her hands into fists as her sides as she reached the courtyard and tripped towards the cellblock door.

Before she could reach it, she was halted by a low snarl from behind her, the familiar Southern drawl that usually had heat pooling in her belly instead flooding her bloodstream with ice.  ‘What the hell was that?’

She hadn’t noticed Rick’s approach.  He’d been up in the guard tower when it had happened, had flown down the steps just in time to see Glenn tug her back to her feet and send her away, and his fear had shifted into a simmering anger when he’d noted how shaken she was by the incident.  He was shaken too, surprisingly so.  Watching Jess nearly meet her end had filled him with a dread that he’d only known when watching Carl dice with death, and that, along with his frustration at the careless group, spurred him on as he marched towards her.

‘I-I’m fine,’ she mumbled, as he reached her, grabbing a hold of her wrist and checking for any sign of injury.  ‘It was a near-miss, that’s all.  I’m okay.’

‘You’re okay?’ Rick shook his head, eyes narrowing into a fierce glare. ‘Do you have any idea how close you just came to gettin’ bit?  I saw you before, laughin’, havin’ fun!  You were bein’ careless!’

‘I’m sorry.’  She hated it, the way he was looking at her, as if she were a stupid child that needed to be punished.  She would have struggled to take that from anybody, but from him it really stung.  ‘I know we got a little complacent, okay, but-’

‘Complacent?’  He spat the word as if it offended him.  ‘That wasn’t complacent, Jess, that was stupid!  You came this close,’ he held up his thumb and forefinger, millimetres apart to illustrate his point, ‘to losin’ everythin’.  Ever think about who’d have to put you down if that happened, huh?  Ever think about what that would do to me?’

‘I told you I’m sorry.’

‘Sorry’s not good enough!’ Without warning, his hands shot out, grasping her shoulders like he wanted to shake some sense into her, and she flinched away from his touch, firm grip burning into her skin.  ‘You’ve got ‘em all riled up now, you see that?  What if they bring the fences down?’

‘They won’t!  Maggie and Glenn-’

‘-are just two people!  They can’t keep ‘em standing on their own!’  He released her with a low growl, rubbing a hand over his beard as he glanced back towards the fences that were beginning to bow beneath the onslaught of the shuffling bodies.  ‘I gotta get over there.’

‘I can help,’ Jess offered weakly.

‘No, Jess, you can’t.’ Again, he shook his head at her, and she knew the look of disgust writ over his face would stay with her for a long time.  ‘You’re not up to the job.  Just get inside, help Beth with the baby.  And, for God’s sake, try to stay out of trouble.’

He span on his heel and strode away, already tugging his knife from his belt as he went, hurrying across the field towards the mass of walkers.  Jess watched him go, jaw hanging open as she fought against the impact of his words.  Was that really how he saw her?  Weak and useless, only fit for babysitting.  She knew that was how some of the others saw Beth, but she was young and afraid.  How was it that she’d been lumped into the same category so quickly after just one mistake?  Unless that had been Rick’s opinion all along…

Her shoulders slumped.  The adrenaline had long since ebbed from her system, and the sheriff’s words repeated over and over in her mind.   _That was stupid.  You’re not up to the job._   So, what was she good for then?  Nothing?  Was she just another mouth to feed?  Just another burden for Rick to carry, another life under his control?  The thought sickened her.  She’d never wanted to be a drag on anyone, let alone this group, kind-hearted and strong, and the idea that maybe he wasn’t the only one who saw her that way churned in her gut.  She might not be the quickest out of them, or the best fighter, but there was nothing that Jess wouldn’t do for these people, and now she wondered if she’d just been a drain on their resources all along.

Overwrought and fighting back tears, Jess pushed her way into the building, the cool shade of the cellblock making her shiver, and staggered towards her cell where she sank down on the bunk and buried her face in her hands.  She knew it was entirely possible that she was overreacting, that it all just seemed overwhelming after her scare and brush with death, but, in all honesty, it was the fact that those words had come from Rick’s mouth that really hurt her.  It wasn’t like she was overly close to the sheriff, not really.  But she wanted to be.  Since she’d stumbled across the little gang of misfits, she’d felt at home, as if she belonged there, and he’d played a huge part in that.  

It wasn’t just the soft curls that framed his face, or his deep, soulful eyes.  It wasn’t the way his lips quirked in a half-smile whenever she made a joke that he didn’t want to laugh at, although that definitely helped.  No, it was more than that: the way he kept fighting even when it felt like they’d hit rock bottom ten times over; it was the way that he was always the first to offer his help to those that were falling behind, and how he looked out for his kids, for all of them.  Over the past few months, Rick Grimes had become her hero, the subject of far too many of her dreams, and she hated - hated, hated, hated - that, to him, she was less than useless.  

And right then, she realised, that she couldn’t do it.  She’d been sitting on her feelings for a long time, pushing them down out of fear of ruining everything, making her position within the group untenable when he inevitably rejected her and broke her heart.  But at least then, she’d had hope, those glorious moments when he looked at her and really seemed to see her, when he’d smile at her and she’d wonder, maybe… It had kept her going, allowed her to stay at his side and feel as though it was enough.  Not anymore.  No, now she’d forever see that disgust, hear that venom in his tone, and she’d know.  She’d know that he despised her and the risk she posed to the people he loved.  And she couldn’t do it.

Filled with a grim determination forged as much from humiliation as anger, she threw herself onto her knees on the hard concrete floor and reached for her pack.  In went a couple of bottles of water that had stood on the chair beside her bunk, a book, all of the clean clothes piled up in the corner.  She had a spare box of bullets tucked beneath the bed and she reached for those now, shoving them into the front pocket and zipping it shut.  And then she sat back on her heels and regarded the empty space where her belongings used to be.  It had been the closest thing she’d had to a home since the dead started walking, and now she was leaving it behind.  A single tear rolled down her cheek and she brushed it away with the back of her hand.  It didn’t matter.  It was too late.  She needed to go.

 

*****

 

‘Stop lookin’ at me like that.’  Rick was fiercely aware of Maggie’s disapproving stare burning into him as he took down another walker, moving back on the balls of his feet as he prepared to lunge for another.

‘We heard you yellin’ at her, y’know?’

‘Is that right?’

‘You know she didn’t mean for it to happen, Rick.  Poor girl looked scared to hell and then you have to go and scream at her for it?’

‘She needs to learn,’ he insisted, the words strained as he slid his knife into another rotting skull.  ‘This is serious.  If this fence goes down-’

‘Yeah, yeah, we all know what’ll happen if they get inside,’ Maggie shut him down, standing with her hands on her hips, head tilted to one side as she judged their leader.  ‘That’s why we spend hours every day standing out here taking them down.  But what happened, it wasn’t Jess’ fault.’

‘Like hell it wasn’t,’ he scoffed.  ‘She took her eye off the ball.’

‘We all did.’  Rick finally turned to look at her and Maggie took a step forward, drawing him away from the walkers and lowering her voice to speak in a hushed tone.  ‘You wanna tell me what this is really about?’

‘I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about.’

‘See, I think you do.  I think you saw her about to get bit and you panicked, because you know as well as I do that that girl means a whole lot to you.’

‘Maggie-’

‘You messed up, Rick.’  She held her hands up in surrender, indicating that she wasn’t going to say another word on the subject, as she backed away towards her partner who watched from a few feet away.  ‘I think you owe her an apology.’

Rick only grumbled a response as he got back to work, though he knew, deep down in his gut, that the eldest Greene daughter was right.  He shouldn’t have lost his temper, shouldn’t have shouted at Jess like he did, but… God, he’d just felt so helpless, standing up there in that tower watching it all unfold.  His heart had been lodged in his throat, and he’d been caught between sprinting to her aid, throwing himself down the stairs two at a time to get to her before the worst happened, and being afraid to look away, eyes glued to the scene that was playing out before him, in case he should blink and miss something vitally important.  He’d seen the panic on her face, the naked fear as she’d wrestled against the walker’s strength, driven by raw gluttony, and he’d hated it.  He’d really hated it.  

Of course, it had been a relief to make it to the bottom and find her alive.  Of course, he’d wanted more than anything to pull her into his arms and feel her, warm and breathing and okay, but he couldn’t.  He was still too shaken, too angry at the whole damn situation, at his inability to protect her, and so he’d lashed out, made her feel stupid and small so that maybe she wouldn’t put herself in that position again, but Maggie was right.  He’d been an ass.  He’d messed up, big time, and he needed to say he was sorry.  He would, he decided, later, when they’d both had a little time to cool off.  He’d find her at dinner and apologise, make things okay between them again.  He couldn’t live with himself if he didn’t.

 

*****

 

The cellblock was quiet that evening when Rick finally stepped inside, wiping the dirt from his hands onto the worn denim of his jeans and casting his eyes around the group.  Carol had prepared dinner from the prison stores, and most of them were eating now, seated cross-legged on the floor, spooning hot soup into their mouths as wisps of steam curled in the air.  Maggie and Glenn were close behind him, and he felt a nudge in the small of his back, urging him on.  He rolled his eyes but continued to study the group, nonetheless, searching for the one person he really wanted to see.

‘Hey, Daryl,’ Rick addressed the archer where he perched on the stairs, sharpening the tip of a bolt.  ‘You seen Jess around?’

‘Not since this mornin’,’ Daryl told him with a shrug.  ‘Why?  Ya need her?’

‘Just wanna talk to her, that’s all.’ If Rick hadn’t known any better, he would’ve almost thought he saw amusement flash over the other man’s face.  ‘Maybe she’s in her cell.’

Leaving the archer, he crossed the shadow-littered hall, walking the length of the cells on the other side until he reached the one where Jess slept, tantalisingly close to his own bunk on the other side of the wall.  He rapped his knuckles against the bars, once, twice, waiting for a response, though, when none came, he pushed the sheet aside and peered in.  It took him a moment or two to register that the small room was empty, and in another beat he’d noticed the absence of the belongings that had been piled in the corners and on the rickety chair that she used as a nightstand.  His breath caught in his throat as his gaze flickered over the empty room once more.  And then he cursed.

 

*****

 

Jess wasn’t really sure what had happened.  One minute she’d been strolling down the road, hitching her pack further up on her shoulders, spinning her knife in her fingers as she listened for the tell-tale snarls of approaching corpses, and the next everything had gone black.  There’d been pain, somewhere at the back of her skull, nagging and insistent, and it sparked now as her eyes flickered open, her vision blurry as she squinted in the gloom.  

Her wrists were fastened behind her back, her ankles bound to the legs of the chair she sat on, and her mouth stung as she winced at the sensation, fear blooming in her chest as she registered the situation she now found herself in.  Her pack was gone, her weapons too, she guessed, and she was trapped, totally and completely.

Her pulse began to race, adrenaline flooding through her as she fought against her restraints, and then a door in the far corner of the room swung open and a lone figure entered, a malicious grin contorting his features as he registered his newly-conscious guest.

‘Well, look who’s awake!  Gotta say, I thought you’d be out for longer.  My guy gave you one hell of a whack out there.’

‘Who are you?’ she hissed, feeling a cut on her lip smart at the movement.  ‘Where am I?’

‘Of course, how rude of me.’  He sidled closer, hands clasped behind his back as his gaze raked over her, noting the the flush to her cheeks, the panic in her eyes.  ‘Please forgive me for not introducing myself sooner.  I’m the Governor.  Welcome to Woodbury.’


	2. Chapter 2

‘We’ll find her, man.’ The weight of Daryl’s hand on Rick’s shoulder did little to calm the sheriff as he paced back and forth in front of Jess’ cell, rubbing an anxious palm over his beard.  Darkness had long since fallen and a thorough search of the grounds had shown no sign of the girl who had disappeared so suddenly.  He’d spent a good hour or more combing through the maze of corridors down in the basement, calling her name like a prayer, but there had been nothing.  He wasn’t surprised.  Her stuff was gone, everything, right down to the dog-earred paperback she’d been reading, just a page or two every night to make it last.  If she’d planned to stay within the prison’s perimeter there’d have been no need for her to pack so thoroughly.  No, she’d gone, run, headed for the hills and he knew he was to blame.  But he couldn’t let his guilt bring him down yet.  He had to find her first.

'She’s out there alone, Daryl.  Those woods are crawlin’ with walkers.  What if we don’t get to her in time?  What if-’

'Hey, I told ya, she’ll be fine, alright?  She ain’t tough but she’s smart.  Probably holed up somewhere for the night already, and we’ll head out at dawn 'n’ track her down.’

Rick nodded.  If there was one thing he still had confidence in it was the archer’s ability to track just about anything.  But the wait for first light was going to kill him, he was sure.  Sleep would be impossible, his muscles too tense, his jaw locked, teeth gritted, and so he settled himself on one of the low benches in the centre of the block and simmered.  This was his fault.  Of course it was his fault.  Maggie had been right, he’d messed everything up, and he’d been able to feel the rays of anger that emanated from her as he divided up the search teams.  His temper had flared out of control and even he’d been shocked at the poison that had dripped from every word of his tirade as Jess had stood and trembled.  She’d been through enough with her near-miss without being berated like a child.  He’d just been so panicked, so afraid… And it had become twisted and distorted somewhere between his heart and his mouth, becoming toxic.

'It’s not your fault, y'know?’  Rick had barely noticed Hershel’s approach, but now he settled himself at the sheriff’s side with a soft groan, resting his crutches on the ground.  'You didn’t make her run.’

'Maggie tell you what happened earlier today?’

'She filled me in,’ the old man nodded.  'Still doesn’t make it your fault.  You spoke words in anger that maybe you shouldn’t have, but it came from a place of concern.’

'I’m not sure that makes it okay.’

'Maybe not but it absolves you of any blame in my eyes.  You made a mistake and I’m pretty sure that, if Jess had stuck around long enough, you’d have made things right.’

'I’d have tried.’

'Well, then,’ the doctor paused.  'You can’t beat yourself up, Rick.  We’ll find her.’

'And what if we don’t?  What if I never get a chance to- to tell her…’  He tailed off, sighing heavily as visions of her hurt and afraid flashed through his head.

'That you love her?’ Hershel finished for him.  'What?  You think I didn’t know?  I’ll tell you something now, son.  Everybody knows.  Except her that is.  And that’s how I know that you’ll find her.  Because you won’t stop, won’t give up until you’ve fixed things.  She’s a lucky girl to have someone like you on her side.’

 

*****

 

It was dark.  Jess wasn’t sure whether that was because night had fallen or whether the boards at the windows were just a little too efficient at keeping the light out, but the dark disorientated her, only increasing the sense of panic that had taken up root in her belly, twisting and twisting until she thought she might be sick.  Her head ached from the blow that had knocked her out and, when she’d still had the energy, the optimism, to call for help, each movement of her mouth had torn open the cut on her lip, so that the coppery taste of her own blood lingered on the tip of her tongue.  

The Governor hadn’t stayed long.  He’d made his requests - information mostly: where she came from; how many people were in her group - and then left her to stew, tossing a casual promise of consequences if she should choose to stay silent over his shoulder as he sauntered out the door.  She’d found it hard to get a read on him and that had her more unsettled than ever, even as the ropes bit into her wrists, burning and scraping at her skin.  He looked so normal: neat hair, clean-shaven, dressed like a school teacher or something.  But there’d been a glint of danger in his eyes, and a threat to every word he spoke that had belied his clean-cut professor-like appearance.  She had no doubt that he wouldn’t hesitate to hurt her if she failed to tell him what he wanted to know, and yet at the same time couldn’t imagine him wanting to get his hands dirty.  Not that there weren’t other ways…

A shudder ran down her spine.  The thing was, much as she might want to, to avoid the pain that was surely coming her way, Jess couldn’t talk.  She just couldn’t.  She’d left so that her stupidity, her uselessness, wouldn’t be a risk to the group anymore, and now that she’d gotten herself into even more trouble, she couldn’t let that come crashing down on the people she’d come to love.  The whole point of striking out on her own had been to avoid something like this happening, and she cursed herself for proving Rick right once again.  She should’ve stayed back and helped Beth watch Judith.  Apparently that really was all she was good for in this world: babysitting.

With a heavy sigh, she gave one last hopeless tug against her restraints before falling still.  She wasn’t going to escape, that much was becoming brutally clear.  And nobody was coming to save her.  She was on her own and that man, that monster with the dangerous eyes, would be coming back for her.  That was the moment she realised: Jess was going to die in that room.  She was sure of it.  And with that certainty came an inexplicable sense of calm.  Her mind drifted.

*****

‘Somethin’ happened here.’  Rick was hovering behind Daryl’s shoulder as the archer dropped into a low crouch, studying the prints on the dusty roadside intently.  ‘Her tracks just stop.’

‘What happened?’ the sheriff snapped, though he reined in his temper before panic could drive it out of control once more.  ‘She can’t have just disappeared.’

‘Nah, she didn’t.  There’s more tracks here.  She wasn’t alone.’

‘You think someone attacked her?’

‘I don’t know, maybe.’  Ignoring Rick’s low growl, Daryl ducked his head further, reaching out a hand to touch the tacky substance that coated the tarmac in small patches.  He’d thought it was mud at first, or oil, but now it seemed too dark, too thick.  Bringing his fingers to his nose, he sniffed, before twisting his head towards the others to give his verdict.  ‘S’blood.’

 

*****

 

Jess must have drifted off, because she jolted awake with a start when the door flew open.  For one blissful heartbeat she forgot where she was, but the cruel sneer of the man who was now looming over her brought it all rushing back in a flood of fear, blinding hot.  She renewed her fight against her binds, thrashing her limbs in an effort to break free, but he only scoffed at her efforts, his lips twisting into a smirk.  

‘No good fighting, darlin’.  I had my boys tie those nice and tight.  Had to make sure you wouldn’t get free and try and sneak out of here.’

‘What do you want from me?’ she spat, prompting him to roll his eyes.

‘I thought we covered that last night.  If you remember I asked you some questions and, given that you’d had a rough day, I gave you some time to think about your answers.  But I’m gonna need you to start talking now.’

‘I have nothing to say.’

He moved closer, until she could smell the musk of his cologne, his knees millimetres from touching hers where they were bent, stiff and aching.  ‘Where have you come from?’

‘Nowhere.’

‘Everybody comes from somewhere.’

‘Not me.  I mean, once, maybe, but I’ve been on the road for-’

‘You’re lying.’

Jess’ eyes narrowed in a fierce glare.  ‘I’m not.  I lost everything, just like everyone else, and I’ve just been walking since.  I don’t have a home.’

‘Is that right?’  Without warning, his hand shot out and fisted in Jess’ hair, her neck cracking painfully as he wrenched it back, her head trapped at an impossible angle.  ‘You see, we get a lot of newcomers here in Woodbury.  Mostly we take them in.  And mostly, they’ve been on the road a while before we do.  And you know what I’ve learnt?  People on the road, they look ragged.  They look hungry.  But you’re clean as a whistle and looking pretty well-nourished if you don’t mind me saying.  So, perhaps we better start with an easier question.’

He released her as suddenly as he’d grabbed ahold, eliciting a strangled gasp from her lips, though she said nothing.

‘What’s your name, sweetheart?’

‘Jess.’  Now, that she could tell him, anything to buy herself a little time.  Despite her resignation just hours before, the truth was that she didn’t want to die, not like this.  ‘I’m Jess.’

‘Well, that’s a pretty name.  You got friends, Jess?  Anyone who might come looking for you?’

‘I told you, no.  I’m alone.’

‘And I told you, you’re lying.  We don’t like liars here in Woodbury, Jess.’

‘And I told you, I’m not lying.  God, why won’t you believe me?’

The crack of his knuckles colliding with Jess’ face made her ears ring.  Stars danced in front of her eyes and for a brief moment she thought she might pass out as she spat blood onto the floor.  ‘Start talking.’

‘No.’

Another blow, this one higher up, towards her temple, and pain exploded through her skull.  The force sent the chair flying sideways, carrying her with it, and she hit the ground hard, her shoulder scraping over the concrete floor.  

‘You will talk to me, Jess, I can make sure of it.  For your sake, I really hope you don’t make me wait too long.’

 

*****

 

‘What is this place?’  Rick stared incredulously at the tall fences that now rose up before them.  They were safe for the moment, hidden in the treeline, their bodies blending with the thick, solid trunks that stretched towards the sky.  ‘Another community?’

‘Looks like,’ Daryl agreed, raising a hand to shield his eyes from the glare of the midday sun.  ‘Don’t look like a friendly one though.’

Even from where he stood some metres away, he could see the guards that watched from their posts, heavily armed as they scanned the road for any sign of movement.  His own crossbow, the pistol on his hip, suddenly seemed worryingly inadequate and, as he looked to the sheriff, he knew he was thinking the same.

‘We can go in the back,’ Glenn pointed out.  ‘Follow the forest around, stick to the shadows.  There’s gotta be a weak spot somewhere.’

‘And you’re sure this is the place?’ Rick asked, looking to Daryl once more.  ‘You’re sure this is where they took her?’

‘Tyre tracks lead this way,’ he confirmed.  ‘If she ain’t in there…’

Rick couldn’t help but be relieved that he didn’t finish the sentence.

 

*****

 

Every part of Jess hurt.  She could feel bruises blossoming to life over every inch of her body, the sting of fresh cuts mingling with the agony of cracked ribs.  The Governor’s assault had been brutal, vicious, and she was sure it wasn’t done.  He’d retreated, for lunch he said, but he’d be back, and he would stop at nothing to force her to reveal the truth, her truth.  There had been moments, just fragile seconds as he drove his boot into her side, where she’d been tempted to talk.  The words had hovered on the tip of her tongue, ready to spill out and end this, end all of it.  But she couldn’t.  Each time she’d been ready to give in, to tell him whatever it was that he wanted to know, Rick’s face would flash across her mind: first the anger that had painted his features the last time she’d seen him, but then the kindness that he’d shown her so many times before that, the good inside of him.  And she knew she couldn’t do it.  She had to hold on, just a little while longer.  And a little while longer.  And a little while longer.

She wasn’t sure how long she’d been swimming in and out of consciousness when she heard the door burst open once more.  The darkness took the pain away and she tried desperately to cling to it, until rough hands took hold of her arms, tugging her upright in the chair, righting it on the floor and making the world tilt alarmingly.

‘Stop.  God, please, stop.  I don’t know anything.  I’m not lying, I swear.’

‘Jess?  Hey, Jess, it’s me.  It’s okay.  It’s alright, I got you now.  I got you.’

No.  It couldn’t be.  Blinking to clear the blurriness from her vision, Rick’s face swam slowly into focus and a gasp of relief fell from her lips.  Rick.  Oh, God, Rick was there and he was right, it would all be okay.  Everything would be okay.  Except…

Except how could he possibly be there?  He wouldn’t have ventured outside of the prison fences, not for her.  She was stupid, reckless, useless, and he had so many other more important things to worry about.  And even if he had, even if guilt and a sense of responsibility had driven him to look for her, sure as anything that she wouldn’t make it alone, how the hell would he have found her here?  She didn’t even know where here was, but she was sure it couldn’t be easy to find.  Shrugging off the fingers that brushed along the lengths of her arms, examining every mark, every wound, she turned her face away.

‘No.  No, go away.  You’re not real.  You can’t be.  You’re just in my head.  You’re not real.’

‘Hey, hey, Jess, c’mon.’  Those damn fingers were dragging over her cheek now, brushing back her hair so he could study her more intently.  ‘It’s me, I promise you.  I’m gonna get you out of here.  The others are waiting outside.  We just gotta-’

‘Well, would you look at that?’  The Governor’s deep chuckle sent shivers down Jess’ spine, and she whimpered as Rick span towards the intruder, his hand falling to his Python.  ‘The loneliest girl in the world has a friend after all.  And others, apparently.  Who knew?’

‘Stop.  No, just… Just stop.’  She could only watch in horror as two thickset men entered the room behind her captor, armed with rifles, both of which were aimed at Rick.  

‘Put the gun down, cowboy.’

She could see the muscles in Rick’s back shift and tense beneath his shirt as he stooped to lay his pistol on the ground, raising his hands in the air as he straightened up.  She was sure his eyes would be dark with anger, flicking left and right as he processed the situation, but she knew far better than he did that there was no way out.  

Striding across the room, the Governor dragged another wooden chair from the corner, setting it beside Jess and motioning for Rick to take a seat, smiling in satisfaction when he did so.  ‘Tie him up, boys.’

Drawing his own gun, he kept it steadily trained on his two prisoners, waiting until Rick too was tightly bound, before dismissing his soldiers with a casual nod.  

‘What is this place?’ Rick finally spoke. ‘Who are you?  What the hell do you want with us?’

‘That’s a lot of questions,’ the Governor responded, coming to stand in front of the sheriff, his hands on his hips.  ‘Jess here will tell you, I like to ask the questions around here.  I’m the Governor.  Who the hell are you?’

‘I’m Rick.  Rick Grimes.’

‘And where are the others, Rick?  It’ll save us a whole lot of trouble if you just tell us now.’

Rick’s mouth snapped shut, the tick in his jaw Jess’ only clue that he was gritting his teeth.  

‘Really?  Another silent type?’  The Governor arched a brow, turning his back on them as he strode across to the door and tugged it open once again.  ‘Hey, Caesar.  I’m getting bored.  Go fetch a friend to help us out alright?’

The next few minutes passed in silence.  The Governor paced, relaxed, hands clasped loosely behind his back, and Rick struggled against his binds, and Jess sat and considered what on earth could possibly be coming next.  Whatever it was, she was sure it would be worse than anything the beast of a man had done to her so far, and she couldn’t even begin to fathom what that might be.  All she knew now was that she was tired, and she wished with all she had that Rick wasn’t there, because she’d resigned herself to her fate with each beating that the Governor delivered, but she couldn’t stand to see him get hurt.

Finally, the quiet was broken by the sound of a muffled snarl from outside, and then a corpse stumbled into the room, guided by one of the guards that had tied Rick to his seat.  A bag was over its head, but there was no mistaking the growls that spilled from beneath the canvas, and though its hands were tied, its fingernails were sickeningly long, the skin around them rotting.

Jess froze.

Beside her, Rick grunted as adrenaline coursed through his veins, yanking against the ropes that refused to shift, shaking his head in disbelief.  ‘You don’t wanna do this!’

‘No, what I want is the truth about who you people are and what you have, but, since you aren’t talking, I have no use for you anymore.  Caesar, cut it loose.’

 

*****

 

They’d left then, the Governor and Caesar, backed out of the room and shut them in, bound and unarmed with a walker.  Jess couldn’t breathe as the creature advanced on her.  Its ankle was broken, sticking out at an awkward angle and slowing it down, but it continued on, arms reaching for her in its hunger for flesh.  Its eyes were sunken and bloodshot, so obviously lifeless even as they flicked from her to Rick, though her soft cries drew it to her, as much as she tried to fight against the sound and hold it in.  It was useless.  It was all useless.  She was going to die and Rick was going to watch, and when it was done with her, it would kill him too.

‘Hey!’  The walker’s head snapped towards Rick as he shouted, his chair screeching against the concrete as he dug his heels into the ground, inching it backwards.  ‘Hey, over here!’

‘Rick, what are you-’

‘That’s right.  Me!  You want me!  C’mon, come and get it!’

He was getting further and further away from her, leading the corpse away as it changed its course, heading for him as he shouted louder, not even forming words anymore, just groaning with the exertion of propelling himself across the floor.

The back of the chair hit the wall, forcing him to stop, and, if she’d believed there was any trace of human emotion left in his undead pursuer, Jess would’ve sworn she saw a smile flash across its face at the realisation that it had its prey cornered.  

‘Rick!’  It was her turn now to grab the biter’s attention, though try as she might she couldn’t move.  ‘Rick, no!’  

Terror seized ahold of her heart as the corpse turned towards her once more, jaws gnashing, teeth clacking.  She couldn’t help but shriek as it gave up on its struggle and lunged towards her, throwing itself across the space between them.

A loud cracking noise cut the air, and Jess tore her eyes from her impending death to see Rick collapse to the ground, the broken remnants of his seat scattered around him, shattered by the force of the impact as he’d slammed it against the wall.  As she watched, he staggered to his feet, free at last, and, stooping to grasp a splintered chair leg, lurched across the room towards the corpse, plunging the wooden shaft through its skull.

As a wave of emotion crashed over her, Jess fell apart.  The immediate threat gone and Rick’s steady fingers working hurriedly to free her hands and feet, she let herself cry for the first time, hot, fat tears trickling down her cheeks as he pulled her gently into his arms.  He was warm, and a slick of sweat coated his skin, but still she nuzzled closer, burying her face in the crook of his neck as he rocked her gently back and forth.  

‘I’m sorry, Jess.  I’m so sorry.  This is on me, all of it.’

‘No, no, Rick, it’s not.  It’s me.  I shouldn’t have… I shouldn’t have run.  It was stupid.  You were right.  I’m stupid.  I’m sorry.’

‘Hey.’ She felt him pull away, forcing her face up so he could meet her gaze.  ‘No, don’t do that.  I shouldn’t have spoken to you that way.  I was… I was wrong to do that, I know that now.  I just- I was so mad, Jess, so mad at you for almost leaving me.  And then you did leave me, and I nearly lost you forever, and I… I couldn’t live with that.’

‘I’m just another life for you to watch out for, Rick.  I didn’t- I don’t want to be a burden.’

‘You’re not.’  He tipped his head back, sucking in a deep breath and expelling it towards the ceiling.  ‘You’re different, Jess.  You’re different than all the others.  What you mean to me, how it would feel if I lost you… You have no idea.’

‘Rick, I-’

‘No, let me say it, okay?  I have to say it.’  At her small nod, he went on.  ‘I was wrong for yelling.  But when I saw how close you got to getting bit… I don’t think I’ve ever been that scared before.’

‘I didn’t want to leave you.’

‘And you’re never going to, not ever again, you hear me?  I need you, Jess.  I need you with me or I can’t do this anymore.  You and Carl and Judith… You’re my family.’

‘Rick-’

‘I love you, Jess.’

Her breath caught in her throat and she swallowed it down, chest heaving as she lost herself in the depths of his eyes, locked on hers, heavy with sincerity.  ‘You do?’

‘For a long time now.  Apparently everybody knows.  Everybody except you that is.’

‘They do?’

‘Jess, c’mon.  I need you to say something real.’

‘I love you too.’

The concern on his face shifted into a beaming grin, and he cupped her face as though she was something precious, fragile, made of glass, as he stooped to rest his forehead against hers.  ‘You do?’

‘I do.  God, I really do, Rick.  I love you.’

The taste of him was fresh and earthy when he pressed his lips to hers, and she responded with hunger, needing him more than she’d ever thought possible with the trauma of the past twenty-four hours still vibrating in her chest.  But the pain soon overwhelmed the pleasure and she pushed him gently away with a whispered apology.  ‘More of that when I’m not quite so broken, please.  At the moment it all just hurts.’

‘I’m gonna kill him, Jess, I swear.  I’m gonna kill him for you.’

‘Not today,’ she pleaded.  ‘Not now.  I just wanna go home.’

As if on cue, the deafening rattle of gunfire exploded into life somewhere outside the building, and Rick’s demeanour shifted, becoming more determined, more like the leader she knew him to be.  ‘We gotta move.’

‘What is that?’

‘Back-up.  Maggie and Glenn and Daryl.  They’re creating a distraction.  We gotta go now.’ He helped her to her feet, wrapping an arm around her waist to take her weight when he felt her falter.  ‘I’m taking you home, Jess, and I won’t ever let anybody hurt you again.’

And she knew that look, that determination writ over his face, had seen it a hundred times before.  And, for the first time since she’d left the prison fences behind, she felt safe.


End file.
